Call in anytime during the live show with your questions or comments for my guests

(877) 864-4869

*****************

* * * * * *

MEET

Producer, Host, Lecturer, Curator, Author

SHELLY ZEGART

About SHELLY…

Shelly Zegart’s love of American quilts began in the mid-1970s when she was inspired to hang quilts with other art on the walls of her newly built contemporary home. Since then, she has been a passionate collector, curator, author and lecturer on both antique and contemporary quilts. Her lecture topics have been as diverse as «Quilts as Women’s Art», «Political Quilts» and «Misperceptions versus Reality in the World of Old Quilts.» She has helped to build quilt collections around the world, and her personal collection of extraordinary nineteenth- and twentieth-century quilts was acquired by The Art Institute of Chicago in 2002. Those quilts were the core of the Art Institute exhibit Exploring Quilts: Art, History, and Craftsmanship (March 17-September 12, 2004). Access to many of these exceptional quilts was enhanced by her buying and selling activities over the years.

Raised in quilt-rich western Pennsylvania, in 1968 Zegart moved with her family to Louisville, Kentucky, another state well known for its quilt heritage. A zealous advocate for quilt scholarship, Zegart was co-founder and the driving force behind the Kentucky Quilt Project, an effort initiated in 1980 to survey the state’s quilts. The first project of its kind, it set the standard for all the state, regional, and national quilt projects that followed. The seeds planted by the Kentucky Quilt Project have flourished not only nationally but also internationally and culminated in more than 50 such projects in the U.S. and abroad, yielding both catalogues and exhibitions.

A founding director of The Alliance for American Quilts (1993), Shelly curates exhibitions here and abroad, lectures and writes on all aspects of quilt history and aesthetics. She was an organizer of Louisville Celebrates the American Quilt (1992), at which one conference focused on developing the Quilt Index. The Art Institute of Chicago acquired Zegart’s private quilt collection in 2002. Consulting and writing projects include: Quilts of Gee’s Bend publications (2002); Mosaic Textiles: In Search of the Hexagon, Rouen, France (2003); and “Myth and Methodology: Shelly Zegart Unpicks African American Quilt Scholarship,” in the January / February 2008 issue of Selvedge. Zegart was among eight individuals featured in Quilting Transformed: Leaders in Contemporary Quilting in the United States – The 20th Century and Beyond (2007).

An exhibition and catalogue, Shelly Zegart: Passionate About Quilts- Challenging Assumptions, Creating Change, Making Connections, at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Fall 2008, highlighted her three decades of contributions to quilt understanding. Zegart was selected for Leadership Louisville (1985); was named a Woman of Distinction by the Louisville Center for Women and Families and an Associate Fellow of the International Quilt Study Center (2004); and in 2007 was elected to the board of the Louisville chapter of the World Affairs Council. Zegart holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Michigan.

Shelly’s producing and hosting an important series–Why Quilts Matter!

Shelly says, “Quilts have been a part of my life for many years. I have met amazing people through an unbelievable journey that quilts have taken me on. When deciding to do this series, I began to really contemplate the fact that all the people involved in quilts are really getting older. We are not seeing a lot of young people come onto the quilt scene. I thought of this project as the next step for helping to engage a younger audience in the centrality and importance of quilts to American culture. The whole focus now is on multimedia, getting things into classrooms, and having real people talk about real life.”

“What started as a small project or possibly a film, grew into a 9-part series – it’s been a fantastic ride! Quilts are a distinctly American art form, but we wanted to dig deeper. The series delves into the quilt’s unique position at the center of a startling broad array of topics from women’s empowerment to the high-end art scene. Whether you are a quilt enthusiast, collector, art lover, history buff or this series has sparked an interest in quilts for whatever reason, please know that we made this for you.

This has been a true labor of love, and I cannot wait to hear what you all think about it!”

* * * * * *

MEET

Fiber Artist, Designer, Teacher, Author

CHRISTEN BROWN

About CHRISTEN. . .

Christen Brown was born in Manhattan Beach, California, and spent her formative years in Torrance, California. She first became interested in fiber arts through making clothing for her dolls as a child. After graduating from high school, she continued her education at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, where she graduated with an AA in fashion design. She is interested in craft and fine art, and continues to experiment and learn in
the area of design in general, specifically in the techniques of embroidery, quilting, ribbonwork, and jewelry making.

Christen began her career in wearable art in 1986. Her work has been shown in galleries and fashion shows all over the world. She has been invited on multiple occasions to participate in both the Fairfield and Bernina fashion shows. Her work has been included in The Costume-Maker’s Art, The Button Lover’s Book, Michaels Create! magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, and Visions: Quilts of a New Decade, to name but a few.

Christen has written several articles for PieceWork magazine, a publication that explores the history of needlework. She has also been published in Threads magazine.

Christen says, “I came from a very supportive, creative family. Both of my parents are gifted in many ways. No matter what room of the house I went into, I learned something. My dad was a prototypes engineer, who built model airplanes and banjos in his spare time. I learned woodworking and jewelry making from him. My mother knitted, crocheted, embroidered, painted, wrote short stories, sewed all of our clothes, cooked and cleaned….you name it. I learned everything I could from her, though I leave the cooking up to my husband and daughter and the dusting to the cats.

When people ask me how long something takes me to make, I smile in reflection. In all honesty the answer is a lifetime, because everything we do is the sum of that experience and wonderful journey.

I have taught for the American Quilter’s Society, and the Bead and Button Show, as well as locally in California. I enjoy the sharing and the learning process between the instructor and the student. I enjoy watching the light come on when a concept is born, or a technique mastered. I enjoy teaching to a full room as well as a one-on-one experience. It is my goal that you enjoy your class time and learn the techniques covered in every class. Every student is important to me.

I have also started to put my programs and lectures into a CD format which will be available for sale to those interested in my work.

I am married to my best friend, we have been together for twenty three years. We have a daughter who is a wonderful person who we both love and admire. My husband and my daughter are my biggest fans and supporters. My husband and I live in San Diego, California with our three cats, Tommie our apricot tabby, Butch our twenty pound black and gray tabby and Elizabeth our petite bengal mix. They are all a joy, especially when they get along, and they give us no end of laughter and love.”

“My journey and goals in life are to be inspired, to be creative, to be necessary and to love my family everyday. Every thing I do is because of my husband’s and daughter’s confidence in me and I know that it is their love for me that gives me the ability to bring my inspirations to life. I wish for everyone I know and meet to have this kind of unconditional love and support. I wish you ALL, love and good health and encourage you to follow your dreams!”

Christen’s intricate works gleam with romance…

We’re chatting about Christen’s luxe new book!

Stitch a stunning fabric landscape filled with beautiful ribbon blooms like sweet cottage daffodils, bold and bright dahlias, or perfect little sweet peas. Suitable for every skill level, this indispensable guide shows you all the flower-making basics with plenty of how-to photos. Add lovingly handmade details to everything you sew-quilts, craft projects, and even fashion accessories. • Learn to make 122 exquisite floral elements with ribbon, using just 7 basic knots and stitches• A complete compendium with ribbon styles, selection and care, cutting charts, and troubleshooting tips• Say it with flowers…the gallery section is bursting with ideas for using the vignettes you design

* * * * * *

MEET

Fiber Artist, Designer, Sculptor, Author

LAURIE SHARP

Photos by Kevin Sharp

About LAURIE…

Laurie says, “Since I was very young, I have admired the natural world. The trees have often offered comfort, the mountains brought strength, and the sea tranquility. As I grew older, I developed an appreciation and empathy for animals, which profoundly influenced my artwork. I needle felt many types of animals and figures, but sheep and hummingbirds are two animals that appear in my sculptures most often.

Sheep provide me with the raw material for my work, but also with much more. I feel a sense of peace when sitting among my own small flock of sheep. They are amazingly graceful and possess an aura of tranquility, their eyes are big, gentle, and kind. Raw wool fiber is very appealing to me. I love playing with the unusual textures and colors of many different kinds of wool and it is always an adventure to discover how the fibers will manifest themselves in a project.

I see a hummingbird as a combination of bird, bee, and butterfly. In the Pacific Northwest, hummingbirds are somewhat elusive and it is always a moment of magic when I see one. I am inspired by their iridescence and unique colors. They glisten and sparkle in hues of orange, ruby, green, and violet.

I create these wool sculptures using a combination of Romney and Southdown wool from my own sheep as well as other types of wool and fiber. The sculpting of the fibers is done using a sharp, barbed, felting needle. Some of my sculptures are built around a wire frame, some are jointed for movement, and many are built entirely around a solid wool core. Each piece is a one of a kind creation, created uniquely and individually, and inspired by the natural elements around me.

My WoolPets are available for purchase online, at selected art fairs and galleries in the Pacific Northwest, and from my studio in Suquamish, WA.”